The Royal Banners Forward Go

The roy­al ban­ners for­ward go

The cross shines forth in mys­tic glow;

Where He in flesh

our flesh who made

Our sen­tence bore

our ran­som paid.

Where deep for us the spear was dyed

Life’s tor­rent rush­ing from His side

To wash us in that pre­cious flood

Where ming­led wa­ter flowed

and blood.

Fulfilled is all that Da­vid told

In true pro­phet­ic song of old

Amidst the na­tions

God

saith he

Hath reigned and tri­umphed from the tree.

O tree of beau­ty

tree of light!

O tree with roy­al pur­ple dight!

Elect on whose tri­um­phal breast

Those ho­ly limbs should find their rest.

Blest tree

whose chos­en branch­es bore

The wealth that did the world re­store

The price of hu­man­kind to pay

And spoil the spoil­er of his prey.

Upon its arms

like bal­ance true

He weighed the price for sin­ners due

The price which none but He could pay

And spoiled the spoil­er of his prey.

O cross

our one re­li­ance

hail!

Still may thy pow­er with us av­ail

To give new vir­tue to the saint

And par­don to the pe­ni­tent.

To Thee

eter­nal Three in One

Let hom­age meet by all be done:

As by the cross Thou dost re­store

So rule and guide us ev­er­more.